


It's A Bug Eat Bug World

by Warp5Complex_Archivist



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-06-10
Updated: 2007-06-11
Packaged: 2018-08-15 23:15:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8076697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warp5Complex_Archivist/pseuds/Warp5Complex_Archivist
Summary: The crew discover their first Minshara-Class planet, but life isn’t as tranquil on the surface as appearances would first seem.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Kylie Lee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Warp 5 Complex](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Warp_5_Complex), the software of which ceased to be maintained and created a security hazard. To make future maintenance and archive growth easier, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but I may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Warp 5 Complex collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Warp5Complex).

  
Author's notes: Disclaimer: Paramount owns Enterprise  
Thanks to my beta Pennyforum  
This is a take on the fourth episode in Season One, Strange New World. It incorporates some of the dialogue from the episode in the first few chapters, but the storyline is entirely different from what aired. Iâ€™ve based it around another favourite episode of mine from the X-Files, â€œDarkness Fallsâ€. I thought the relationship between Trip and Tâ€™Pol was very like Mulder and Scully, which is why I thought that episode would tie in perfectly.  
It isnâ€™t a romance. It is set around Season One when they were first building up a friendship, so I didnâ€™t think a romance was appropriate. It is based around the two of them stranded on a planet â€œStrange New Worldâ€ overnight where the insect life isnâ€™t quite what it seems. The story incorporates their first steps between building a close friendship and trust between them.  


* * *

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Ethan looked up from tucking into his morning breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon. â€œJeez, Cutler, how can you eat that crap?â€

â€œItâ€™s healthier than that,â€ Liz replied, pulling a face at his, and the majority of the crewâ€™s preferred choice of morning meal.

â€œAt least this tastes like something,â€ answered Ethan, as he watched her place another spoonful of bland looking broth into her mouth.

â€œI guess it takes a more discriminating palate to appreciate Vulcan cuisine.â€

Before Ethan could come back with another retort, a soft yellow glow began to pan in through the windows of the mess hall. Enterprise had just pulled into the orbit of a lush, new, blue-green planet. Heads popped up from the crew as they turned to view this beautiful new vision and a sense of excitement began to fill the air.

â€œI thought we were heading for that nebulaâ€¦â€ puzzled Ethan, as he stood up and walked over to the window.

â€œLooked like something more interesting piqued his interestâ€ smiled Liz Cutler, as she joined him to study the new world below. â€œI wonder if someone lives down thereâ€¦? It doesnâ€™t look like there are any cities, industries, satellites â€¦â€

â€œThereâ€™s a lot of plant life â€¦ might be an oxygen atmosphere â€¦ looks like you might soon get a chance of some shore leave. I mean bugs are your speciality arenâ€™t they?â€

â€œEntomology,â€ corrected Liz, too interested in the planet below to react to Ethanâ€™s teasing remark.

â€œWell, where thereâ€™s plant life, thereâ€™s bound to be bugs,â€ he smiled, all-be-it a slightly envious smile. Whilst he also served within the scientific division of Enterprise, he didnâ€™t have the technical expertise that Liz had in a specialised subject, so his presence on any future away missions wouldnâ€™t be as secure or guaranteed as Lizâ€™s would.

â€œBehave yourself, and Iâ€™ll throw in a good word for you,â€ she replied playfully. Ethan threw her a look and rolled his eyes, before they both turned back once more to the beautiful spectacle orbiting below. The mess hall suddenly grew quiet as the minds of crewmembers pondered the possibilities of what new discoveries were waiting to be unearthed.

\----------------------------------


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter One

Just like the Mess hall and probably the rest of the ship, all of the command crew were gathered together on the bridge at their various stations, while the view screen showed off the lush green planet below. Today was a momentous occasion as this new world was the first one that they had encountered so far on their mission, which resembled anything like home.

Captain Jonathan Archer sat perched on the edge of his chair. Today had been a long time coming and he was just as eager as the rest of them to set foot on this brand new world and begin exploring. This was what their mission was all about. It had been his dream from the first time he saw the toy model of his dadâ€™s Warp Five engine fly, and heâ€™d promised himself, on his fatherâ€™s sudden demise, that he would make it a reality. â€œThis oneâ€™s for you, Dad,â€ he thought as he anxiously waited for the reports from his crew.

Sub Commander Tâ€™Pol, the shipâ€™s beautiful Vulcan Science Officer, peered into her scanner and began detailing her report in a dry monotone, without any hint of emotion and unruffled by all the excitement, as her culture dictated. â€œâ€¦seventeen percent oxygen, eighty-one percent nitrogen.â€

â€œSounds like home,â€ interrupted Commander Charles Tucker III, Trip for short, the ship's Chief Engineer. He shared a look of excitement with his best friend, Captain Archer. Trip had never stepped foot on a new planet before and was just as anxious as the rest of them to begin exploring. Normally, on missions like this one, his job would require him to remain in engineering making sure their Warp Five engine remained in tip top shape whilst the scientists carried out the exploration and discovery side, but Trip knew his best friend wouldnâ€™t leave him on board missing out whilst they had all the fun.

â€œAny people?â€ asked Archer.

â€œThe planet supports a diverse ecology,â€ answered Tâ€™Pol. â€œMy readings show signs of various ruins that suggest there may once have been a civilisation, but I canâ€™t substantiate how long ago that may have been. At present, my scanner shows no signs of humanoid life.â€

Despite his eagerness to begin exploring, Archer tried to instil a bit of caution in his approach. After all, he did have a crew to protect and it wouldnâ€™t look good to get them killed on their very first mission. Turning to Lieutenant Malcolm Reed, their English Armoury Officer, he asked. â€œScan for marker buoys, beacons, man-made satellites â€¦â€

â€œNone within range, Sirâ€, he answered, smiling. â€œLooks like itâ€™s been a while since anyoneâ€™s planted a flag there.â€

With an encouraging look, Archer turned to Trip. â€œPrep a shuttlepod, Mister Tuckerâ€, he said with a smile.

Pleased that his friend hadnâ€™t let him down, Trip turned and walked off towards the nearest turbolift, whilst Archer turned back round to Ensign Mayweather, their handsome young helmsman. â€œI like the look of the Northern continent â€¦ see if you can find a good place to set down.â€

â€œYes, sirâ€, replied a jubilant, upbeat Travis Mayweather, jumping up to join Commander Tucker at the lift.

â€œCaptain,â€ said Tâ€™Pol, in a calm, direct tone of voice. â€œThere are a number of protocols you may want to consider.â€

Archer rolled his eyes and settled back for the next chapter in â€˜1001 Steps on How Not Blow up the Galaxyâ€. â€œDare I ask?â€ he thought, knowing just what to expect from this stoic species of logic, who had a long history with humans of throwing the proverbial dampener on the fire. â€œProtocols?â€

â€œVulcan ships would begin by sending down automated probes to collect more detailed scans,â€ stated Tâ€™Pol. â€œIf the planet proved to be Minshara-Class, weâ€™d then conduct a geophysical survey from orbit.â€

â€œMinshara-Class?â€ asked Mayweather, not quite understanding the term.

â€œSuitable for humanoid life,â€ explained Hoshi, the shipâ€™s young communications officer who could speak languages by the dozen.

â€œHow long would all that take?â€ asked Captain Archer.

â€œSix or seven days,â€ replied Tâ€™Pol.

â€œYou expect us to sit up here for a week while probes have all the fun?â€ exclaimed Trip, impatiently. Along with Captain Archer, he had first hand experience with Vulcans dragging things out, which he put down to them seeing humans as babies taking their first steps into the unknown. So they were reluctant to let go of their leash.

â€œThis planet has been here for a long time â€¦â€ replied Tâ€™Pol dryly, as she looked back at him, in what he regarded to be an arrogant and condescending manner. â€œIt will still be here in seven days.â€

â€œSir?â€ pleaded Trip, looking at Archer for support.

Archer acknowledged this with a slight nod of his head. â€œDonâ€™t worry my friend. Iâ€™m not going to let them do this to us again. â€ Looking back at Tâ€™Pol, â€œI understand youâ€™ve got a more â€¦ cautious approach â€¦ but we didnâ€™t come out here to tiptoe around. Trip â€¦ get the pod ready.â€

Trip smiled, gave back a mock salute, and then closed the turbolift down.

â€œSub-Commander, Iâ€™d like you to put together the survey team â€¦â€ asked Captain Archer, with a slight smirk. â€œI assume thatâ€™s not a violation of protocol.â€

Tâ€™Pol acknowledged this order with a wary look. In her opinion he was very naÃ¯ve and typically human in refusing to listen to her advice. She was assigned to this crew by the Vulcan High Command to watch over her human counterparts and guide them whilst they undertook their first steps into the unknown. His constant dismissal of her counsel and his desire to undertake foolish endeavours without following official modus operandi was making her task extremely difficult indeed.

\----------------------------------------------


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Two.

The news of the upcoming research mission on a new unexplored world seemed to spur the crew into action. Within the next few hours the shuttle bay filled up with engineering and scientific crewmen performing pre-flight checks on the shuttlepods, loading up scientific equipment, which would be needed planet side for taking detailed scans and samples.

Sub Commander Tâ€™Pol was stood off to one side alone, taking an inventory of all the equipment, whilst checking them against her pad to make sure nothing was missing or left off. Commander Tucker was inside Shuttlepod One performing last minute checks, casually engaging other personnel in casual conversation.

â€œCrewman, hand me that container over there would ya?â€

â€œThis one?â€ asked Liz, picking up a particularly large one next to her on the floor and passing it over.

â€œYeah thatâ€™s the one. I think we should just be able to fit this in the corner over here, but thatâ€™s it. Damn thatâ€™s big,â€ exclaimed Trip, not sure it would fit as he received it from her. â€œJust how large are ya expecting those bugs to be down there,â€ he joked, a slight hint of concern showing in his voice. (Insects didnâ€™t feature on his list of favourite things. In fact he was scared to death of them.)

â€œThis is a strange new world, Commander,â€ she teased. â€œIâ€™m just preparing for all possibilities, thatâ€™s all â€¦â€ Commander Tucker pulled a face as he lifted the container and turned to store it inside the pod.

â€œYou enjoyed that,â€ chuckled Ethan, as he passed her another case of sample containers to check over. Pulling her over to one side, he quietly whispered, â€œI wanted to thank you for putting in a good word for me with Sub Commander Tâ€™Pol and getting me on this mission.â€

â€œNot me,â€ smiled Liz. â€œYou did that all by yourself. Donâ€™t underestimate your capabilities, Ethan. Youâ€™re just as skilled as the rest of us. You earned your place.â€

â€œThanks,â€ replied Ethan, feeling slightly better about his position on this mission.

â€œCome on,â€ laughed Liz, pulling Ethan over to Shuttlepod One. â€œCommander Tuckerâ€™s almost finished. Letâ€™s get inside the pod, as I donâ€™t think Sub Commander Tâ€™Pol will appreciate stragglers. We want to make sure we get good seats so we can enjoy the view.â€

\-----------------------------------------

As Travis glided the shuttlecraft down through the atmosphere, Captain Archer and Commander Tucker stood eagerly behind him looking through the windows. Sub Commander Tâ€™Pol, Crewmen Cutler, Novakovich and Jamison were sitting in the jump seats behind and Porthos was curled up on the floor, anxiously awaiting his walk.

Breaking through the cloud cover, sunlight flooded the cabin causing everyone to turn and look through the windows and portholes at the beautiful sight stretching below. Everyone that is, except Sub Commander Tâ€™Pol, who remained indifferent, tapping instructions into her portal Pad.

â€œWow!â€ exclaimed Trip.

â€œWorth every light year,â€ said Liz, impressed also.

â€œThose peaks look higher than the Himalayas â€¦â€ exclaimed Ethan, as Travis piloted the shuttle past a mountainous range.

â€œSet us down just east of those hills,â€ suggested Captain Archer, pointing to a grassy meadow in the distance. It looks a good place to start.â€

â€œAye, sir,â€ smiled Travis, working the helm to start their descent. â€œPlace your trays in their upright position and fasten your seatbeats, folks. Weâ€™ll be landing in five minutes.â€

\-------------------------------------------

Moments later, the shuttlecraft gently glided down inside the meadow Archer had previously pointed out, edging on to the foothills of a sprawling mountainous range. As Travis powered down the engines, Captain Archer swung open the side hatch and took a deep breath, before stepping down onto the grass taking in the scenery. Porthos, his small beagle, bounded out of the craft ahead of Trip and the others, before racing off towards a small cluster of trees to explore the local fauna.

â€œWhere no dog has gone before,â€ chuckled Trip, causing the rest of the group to laugh.

â€œI almost forgot what fresh air smells like,â€ said Archer, enjoying this light-hearted moment.

â€œThe atmosphere contains trace amounts of nitrogen-dioxide â€¦ chloromethane â€¦â€ stated Tâ€™Pol, taking him at his word, reading off details of a recent scan, which caused both Trip and Archer to roll their eyes and shake their heads.

â€œWhy donâ€™t you leave that and enjoy the moment?â€ said Archer. â€œItâ€™s not everyday you get to step on a new planet.â€

â€œI have been to thirty-six Minshara-Class planets â€¦ this one is only marginally different from the rest,â€ stated Tâ€™Pol dryly, before looking down at her pad again to do more scans.

Just as Captain Archer was about to make a retort, Trip stepped in to save the moment. â€œPerfect! Everyone, hold it right there. Smileâ€¦â€ He aimed his camera in their direction and gestured for the group to gather closer together. Just before Trip clicked the cameraâ€™s electronic shutter, Captain Archer put his arm around Tâ€™Polâ€™s shoulder, causing her left eyebrow to climb into her forhead and a stoic scowl to cross her features. The moment certainly made quite a picture.

â€œBe sure to send a copy of that to the Vulcan High Command,â€ teased Captain Archer, causing the rest of the group to chuckle.

â€œThis isnâ€™t shore leave. It is a research mission,â€ exclaimed Tâ€™Pol in a serious tone, aimed at both Captain Archer and Commander Tucker. â€œWe are only scheduled to be planet side for a short period of time. We donâ€™t have the time for recreational activities,â€ she said, indicating his camera.

â€œResearch doesnâ€™t have to be serious,â€ replied Trip, invading her personal space. â€œVisual scans with ma camera can be just as effective as your scanner.â€

â€œI find that highly doubtful, Commanderâ€¦â€

â€œWhy donâ€™t you two tag along and prove it then,â€ exclaimed Archer with a smirk, knowing heâ€™d just dropped his friend in the proverbial deep end.

â€œWhat!!â€ exclaimed Trip, as both he and Tâ€™Pol threw Captain Archer a look of shock and horror.

â€œYou said you were short on time. Two â€˜scannersâ€™ are better than one,â€ he replied jokingly.

Tâ€™Pol seemed to ponder this suggestion.

â€œCapâ€™nâ€¦â€ He was interrupted by Tâ€™Pol picking up the extra large container, which heâ€™d stowed in the pod earlier, and placing it in his arms to carry. During their discussion, Novakovich, Cutler and Jamison had emptied the pod of all the equipment they would need to carry out their mission.

â€œYou have your assignments. Weâ€™ll rendezvous here at nineteen hundred hours,â€ ordered Tâ€™Pol, indicating for the others to proceed. â€œCommander â€¦â€ she stated, signalling that he should follow.

â€œCapâ€™n â€¦â€ pleaded Trip, not quite believing his eyes.

â€œYou heard the lady, Tripâ€¦ Have fun. Come on, Travis, itâ€™s me you and Porthos,â€ he chuckled, as they turned around and walked off to explore, leaving Trip to stare open mouthed like a goldfish.

\--------------------------------------


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Three

Despite their initial scepticism, Sub Commander Tâ€™Pol and Commander Tucker worked well together. They slowly manoeuvred across the landscape examining the different types of fauna and rock strata, studying the exotic striations showing on numerous rock faces, while performing a geological analysis of them.

At first Tâ€™Pol would indicate which pieces she wanted Trip to photograph, while she took scans with her scanner, but as time wore on, a non verbal communication formed between them and she was able to accomplish this with a certain look, flick of her eyes, fingers or head.

Despite his early misgivings, Trip was actually enjoying himself, although he wasnâ€™t willing to admit it to his companion just yet. He thought the day would have been boring, full of Vulcan put downs about how humans were too emotional and how they lacked the intelligence to understand the complexities needed to complete a successful mission such as this. But he couldnâ€™t have been more wrong. She seemed to enjoy his company, even open to his input on deciding which strata or formation they were to examine next.

â€œWhy donâ€™t we rest here for a while,â€ said Tâ€™Pol, noticing they that he seemed to be tiring. â€œWeâ€™ve covered quite a lot of ground. A break and some nourishment should do us some good before proceeding further with our scans.â€

â€œSounds good,â€ replied Trip, sitting down on a nearby outcropping. He pulled his backpack off and took out a flask of water, which he drank heartily from before offering it to Tâ€™Pol. â€œWant some?â€

â€œThank you,â€ she replied, taking the flask from him, and taking a delicate sip as he looked into his backpack for something to eat.

â€œDamn â€¦ ration bars. Remind me next time to ask Chef to prepare something more filling.â€

â€œThey contain all the adequate nutrition your body needs to fulfil its requirements.â€

â€œStill taste like crap though,â€ replied Trip, pulling a face while chewing on another morsel. â€œIâ€™m surprised you went along with the Capâ€™n.â€

â€œHis suggestion of using visual scans had merit,â€ she answered. â€œYour assistance in this endeavour hasnâ€™t been as pointless or as meddlesome as I first feared.â€

â€œApology accepted,â€ smiled Trip. It wasnâ€™t quite an apology but it was probably as close as he was going to get for one. â€œSo, where now? I think weâ€™ve covered all the unusual looking formations in this area. Why donâ€™t we head over to that mountainous region in the distance? It looks like there might be some caves we can explore.â€

â€œI agree,â€ replied Tâ€™Pol. â€œAre you adequately rested?â€

â€œIâ€™m fine. Come on, letâ€™s get movinâ€™. The wind is picking up.â€

â€œMaybe we should return to the shuttlecraft,â€ said Tâ€™Pol, showing some concern. â€œIt would not be wise to get stranded out here during a weather front.â€

â€œItâ€™s only a slight breeze, Tâ€™Pol,â€ replied Trip, walking off. â€œThereâ€™s no need to panic.â€

â€œI am not panicking, Commander. Just stating facts,â€ she answered, catching up to him.

â€œThis is no worse than the good ole Florida breeze I grew up with.â€

â€œAs you are aware, Commander, we are a long way from Florida. Even though this is a Minshara-Class planet, there are significant differences between this world and Earth. It is unwise to compare the two.â€

â€œEnterprise will be able to pick up any weather fronts heading our way. They would have told us by now if there was anything to worry about. Come on, it shouldnâ€™t take us long to reach those mountains.â€

Tâ€™Pol checked her scanner once more. There were no indications that the wind was getting any stronger to be a danger to them, so she nodded her head to confirm her agreement in the matter and carried on forward.

\---------------------------------------

They had travelled about forty minutes and were nearly upon their destination. The wind had picked up slightly, enough to make it more than a gentle breeze, but they hadnâ€™t received any further word from Enterprise or the other crew members on the mission, so Tâ€™Pol and Trip pressed on ahead.

â€œHey, Tâ€™Pol, look at that,â€ said Trip, as they came upon the remains of what looked like an extremely large, downed tree from a bolt of lightning. The trunk had more or less been sliced in two causing the main body to lie stretched out upon the floor like a rotting corpse. â€œLooks like storm damage. Can you tell if itâ€™s from any recent activity?â€ he asked; as Tâ€™Pol knelt down to examine the tree with her scanner.

â€œI canâ€™t be certain, from the rate of decay I estimate that it happened up to five to ten years ago.â€

â€œThis tree must be hundreds of yours old, at least,â€ exclaimed Trip. â€œIt must have been a hell of a storm to cause damage like this.â€

â€œStorm fronts like tornados or hurricanes are not uncommon on Earth, Commander. They would be capable of inflicting this type of damage.â€

â€œMaybe, but these trees are a hell of a lot bigger and older than anything we have back on Earth, Tâ€™Pol. I doubt even a class five could inflict this type of damage.â€

While the wind whipped around their faces, they were both quiet as they pondered just how bad a storm front could get on this planet and what it would mean to them.

â€œIf these are similar to the types of trees that we have back home, then these rings would indicate a treeâ€™s lifespan, wouldnâ€™t it?â€ said Trip.

â€œYouâ€™re correct, Commander. Every ring represents a season of growth. They record the history of rainfall and climate.â€

â€œSo I wonder what this one would represent?â€ asked Trip, pointing to a green tinged circle enclosing one of the treeâ€™s inner rings.

â€œIâ€™m uncertain,â€ replied Tâ€™Pol. â€œI have never seen anything like this before. Iâ€™ll take a core sample so we can examine it more closely back on Enterprise.â€ Tâ€™Pol took out a sample jar from her case. She inserted a metal disc over the green ring and pressed her pad twice. A spike shot out from the disc deep into the porous wood, then sprang back upwards. She placed this disc into her specimen jar, closed it and then placed it back inside her case. â€œShall we continue, Commander?â€ she asked, when sheâ€™d finished. Commander Tucker had been taking pictures of the tree and surrounding area with his camera and she didnâ€™t want to leave until he had finished.

â€œYeah, Iâ€™m finished up here. Letâ€™s see what surprises further up has in store.â€

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	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Four

Captain Archer, Mayweather and Porthos were walking along a riverbank next to a gurgling stream.

â€œIâ€™m afraid my log entry isnâ€™t going to do this justiceâ€¦â€ sighed Archer, enjoying the scenery and the tranquillity of the place.

â€œItâ€™s beautiful all right â€¦â€ answered Mayweather, â€œbut I couldnâ€™t call a place home unless it came with a pair of warp nacelles.â€

Archer shook his head. â€œBoomers â€¦â€ he muttered playfully. Suddenly his communicator beeped. Pulling it from his inside pocket, he flipped it open to reply. â€œArcher.â€

â€œCaptain, Lieutenant Reed has detected a storm front approaching your coordinates from the south west,â€ stated Hoshi Sato.

â€œOur scanners havenâ€™t detected anything,â€ replied Archer, as Travis pulled out his and started scanning. He shook his head to indicate nothing.

â€œItâ€™s still a little out of range,â€ reported Lieutenant Reed, â€œbut itâ€™s travelling fast. I recommend cutting your survey short and pulling outâ€¦â€

â€œThe wind has picked up a bit,â€ interrupted Archer, â€œbut itâ€™s nothing to get worried about.â€

â€œYouâ€™re only feeling the outer rim at the moment, Sir,â€ Reed explained. â€œIn about another twenty minutes itâ€™s going to be shifting quite a bit, around eighty kph, and thatâ€™s only half the speed our scanners indicate itâ€™s capable ofâ€¦â€

â€œOkay, Lieutenant. Contact the rest of the survey team and tell them to meet us back at the shuttle in ten minutes. Archer out...â€

\-------------------------------------

Fifteen minutes later, Archer, Mayweather and Porthos arrived back in the meadow at the pod. Cutler, Novakovich and Jamison were already waiting for them outside the craft. They had already stowed their gear inside to save time. The wind was blowing quite strong now, gusting continuously, and whipping around the local bushes and vegetation.

â€œWhereâ€™s Trip and Tâ€™Pol?â€ asked Captain Archer, as Mayweather climbed into the shuttle to start the pre-flight check.

â€œThey havenâ€™t checked back yet, Sirâ€ answered Liz, showing concern.

Captain Archer took out his communicatorâ€¦ â€œArcher to Enterpriseâ€¦â€

â€œLieutenant Reed here, sir.â€

â€œDid Trip and Tâ€™Pol estimate how long it would be for them to return?â€

â€œWeâ€™re having trouble contacting them, Sir,â€ replied Reed. â€œThereâ€™s too much interference. The signalâ€™s having trouble getting through.â€

â€œDamn,â€ muttered Archer, wondering what to do next. He certainly wasnâ€™t going to leave without his friend and science officer, but he couldnâ€™t wait around here with the storm getting worse. â€œWeâ€™re taking off,â€ he said, indicating for the rest of them to get in the shuttle and strap themselves in. â€œWeâ€™ll close in on their position and contact them on our way back. Have you got their exact coordinates?â€

â€œYes, Sir,â€ replied Reed.

â€œSend them to our helm. Archer out â€¦â€ he ordered, as he climbed into the pilotâ€™s seat and prepared to take off. â€œWe should have time to stop off at their position and pick them up. See if you have better luck contacting them to let them knowâ€¦â€ he asked Mayweather, who climbed into the navigation seat next to him.

\----------------------------------

About the same time, a dusty and dishevelled Trip and Tâ€™Pol hurriedly arrived at their intended destination, the foothills of the mountain range. What Trip previously had thought of as a gentle breeze, had now built up to strong, blustery, continuous winds, which were howling fiercely around the mountain range. They both hesitated for a second on discovering that the expected caves were in fact an abandoned settlement built into the rocks. Aware that they needed to find shelter out of the storm, Tâ€™Pol indicated for them to go into the nearest doorway. On entering the building and barricading the door shut against the fierce gusts outside, Tâ€™Pol threw Commander Tucker a glare to show her displeasure at their current situation.

â€œLook itâ€™s done! I was wrong, okay? We shouldnâ€™t have continued trekking up here,â€ said Trip loudly, more angry with himself for getting themselves in this situation than he was at her. â€œLetâ€™s just move past it.â€

â€œThat might be difficult under our current circumstances,â€ replied Tâ€™Pol.

â€œI underestimated the strength of the wind and how quickly it could build up,â€ said Trip. â€œAn easy mistake ...â€

â€œIf you had followed my orders prevâ€¦â€

â€œOh, cut the sanctimonious crap, would ya?â€ interrupted Trip. â€œYa know damn well that wasnâ€™t an order, it was a suggestion. You scanned the area yourself. Even you didnâ€™t think it would get this bad â€¦â€

The air was tense, as a confrontation threatened to build up between them. Both were on edge as they each recognised their part in this misadventure. The sound of a communicator beeping interrupted their face off.

Trip pulled it out of his side pocket and flipped the lid. â€œTuckerâ€¦â€

â€œTrip â€¦ closing â€¦ your position â€¦ thereâ€™s a â€¦ fifty metres â€¦ from the cave â€¦ meet â€¦ weâ€™re pulling you â€¦â€

â€œI think we know why Enterprise hasnâ€™t been in touch,â€ said Trip as Archer signed off. They both understood the meaning of the fragmented message and once more prepared to go outside. â€œIf the interference is that bad with the Capâ€™n practically overhead, itâ€™s downright impossible for Enterprise to get through from their position.â€

\---------------------------------

Five minutes later, the lights of Shuttlepod One could be seen in the not too far distance. It was being buffeted by powerful winds, causing Archer no end of trouble as he battled to keep the helm steady.

â€œIâ€™m reading them,â€ said Travis, â€œtwo kilometres due west â€¦â€

â€œIâ€™m taking us down,â€ replied Archer, holding the helm in a vice-like grip as the pod lurched and shook. â€œThereâ€™s a lot of wind shear near the surface â€¦â€

â€œIâ€™m activating the auxiliary landing thrusters,â€ said Travis, as the sound of the engineâ€™s power could be heard rising against the wind.

â€œAltitude: eighty meters â€¦ forty meters â€¦â€ stated Archer, as the pod began to pitch and roll on itâ€™s descent downwards. Ethan, Liz and Jameson, gripped their seats in fear, each looking a little green from all the turbulence.

â€œIâ€™m going to have to try this on a different vector,â€ shouted Archer over the whine of the engines, as he pulled back hard on the throttle.

Both Trip and Tâ€™Pol watched from below as the shuttle came around for another landing attempt. The landing light swept across their faces as it began to descend from a new angle. â€œTheyâ€™re not going to make it,â€ said Trip, as he watched another burst of violent wind hit the pod, causing it to roll to one side and lose control, as it neared the surface.

â€œStarboard!â€ shouted Travis urgently, as he glimpsed a jagged outcropping of rock approaching nearer and nearer.

â€œI see it!â€ Archer exclaimed, as he worked the helm, trying to steer the pod away. He almost succeeded in his endeavour, but the side of the shuttle hit the edge of the rock with a hard jolt causing sparks to violently burst off it.

â€œThruster fourâ€™s down!â€ shouted Travis. â€œWeâ€™re leaking plasma coolant!â€

â€œAlmost there!â€ said Archer, as he worked intently on the controls while the shaking continued â€¦

â€œSir, we canâ€™t make a safe landing in this wind with a thruster out!â€ shouted back Mayweather.

Archer hesitated, he knew Travis was right â€¦ but it didnâ€™t make him feel any better, conscious of the fact that heâ€™d be stranding two of his officers on an unknown planet during a violent storm. Knowing that he had to focus on his crew presently in the shuttle at this time in order to get them safely back aboard Enterprise, he reluctantly forced the concern for his friend to the back of his mind. Working the helm, the shuttle began to ascend once more. The engines whined with power as they rose, and the shaking finally began to subside.

He indicated for Travis to touch the COM panel. â€œArcher to Tucker â€¦â€ he said.

â€œCapâ€™n, arenâ€™t you forgetting something?â€ said Trip, sounded slightly frizzed from all the interference.

â€œSorry, but â€¦ going to have to wait â€¦ wind dies down. Itâ€™s â€¦ dangerous to â€¦ landing. Try â€¦ manage till then.â€

â€œWeâ€™ll do our best, Sir,â€ replied Trip, understanding the gist of the message, despite all the interference. â€œTucker out.â€

\------------------------------------------


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Five

Five minutes later, they were back inside the cave both looking extremely dishevelled and ragged from the storm.

â€œI suggest we try and make ourselves comfortable,â€ said Tâ€™Pol. â€œWe donâ€™t know how long we this front is going to last.â€

â€œFine,â€ replied Trip, still mad at himself for carelessly getting them stranded.

â€œHow much water do we have?â€ asked Tâ€™Pol, standing up and dusting off an upturned table, so she could put her equipment down.

â€œThis canteen is about a third full and we have another full one in ma bag,â€ replied Trip, checking their gear. â€œItâ€™ll probably be a good idea to conserve water.â€

â€œThat wonâ€™t be necessary,â€ said Tâ€™Pol, dryly. â€œVulcans can survive without water for several days.â€

â€œIt might just be several days before Enterprise gets a shuttle down here again.â€

Tâ€™Pol threw him a look to suggest that she thought that was highly unlikely. â€œYou never know,â€ he replied with a shrug. â€œLook, somebody obviously lived here previously â€¦ there must be a water source around here somewhere, which supported them.â€

â€œA logical assumption,â€ answered Tâ€™Pol, pulling out her scanner to start checking their surroundings.

â€œI have ma moments,â€ said Trip.

â€œSparsely,â€ replied Tâ€™Pol, in what Trip could have sworn was a teasing tone. Before he could come back with a retort, she indicated for them to go deeper in their habitat.

\--------------------------------

The desolation and dusty remains of various pieces of debris was scattered around the caverns, suggesting that no one had been, or lived around here for quite some time.

â€œCan ya tell how long this place has been deserted?â€ asked Trip, as Tâ€™Pol carried on scanning while they continued walking, glancing through doors as they passed numerous rooms.

â€œI would estimate between fifty and a hundred years.â€

â€œWonder what happened to them?â€ questioned Trip, more to himself than anyone else.

â€œThe lack of any solid evidence at the moment prevents me from giving an accurate answer to your question,â€ replied Tâ€™Pol, in a tone that suggested the same thought had crossed her mind as well.

They both paused at the door of one of the rooms, â€œLooks like they werenâ€™t primitive,â€ said Trip, spotting what looked to be machinery of some kind.

â€œThis looks like some form of communicative equipment,â€ replied Tâ€™Pol, as she passed her scanner over them.

â€œYeah, I think this is a radio,â€ said Trip, bending down to examine them. â€œThis looks like some kind of recording device. Maybe their version for recording their personal logsâ€¦ Iâ€™m not sure what this is â€¦ maybe some kind of power cell â€¦â€

â€œMaybe you should examine them later,â€ she said, pulling him away from getting too absorbed in his find and indicating for them to carry on deeper into the habitat on their original search.

\--------------------------------------

Ten minutes later they found themselves in a large cavern. Towards the rear, the sound of falling water could be heard.

â€œThis appears to be a natural source,â€ suggested Tâ€™Pol, running her scanner across the pool that the water was falling into.

â€œIs it drinkable?â€ asked Trip.

â€œYes, my scans indicate that it is consumable. It doesnâ€™t contain any toxins that could harm Humans or Vulcans,â€ she replied, staring at something in the far corner.

â€œWhatâ€™s the matter?â€ asked Trip, looking over in that direction, trying to spy whatever had caught her attention.

â€œThere appears to be a something over there,â€ she replied.

â€œWhat?â€ questioned Trip, as they starting to walk over to get a better look.

â€œIt looks like some kind of hive,â€ answered Tâ€™Pol.

â€œHive?â€¦ What kind of hive? What do ya mean?â€ asked Trip, growing concerned.

â€œI am unsure,â€ replied Tâ€™Pol, bending down to examine the object. â€œI have never seen anything like it.â€ She ran her scanner over it before drawing back in shock. â€œThere appears to be a body inside â€¦â€

Trip pulled out his phase pistol and began cutting open the outer weave of the cocoon, revealing the object inside.

â€œCould it be whoever used to live here?â€ asked Trip, sounding a little anxious as he watched Tâ€™Pol examine the remains.

â€œPossibly,â€ she replied. â€œI think itâ€™s a male. I canâ€™t be certain, though, due to the shrivelled and dehydrated composition of the body. The hard and dry structure of the bodyâ€™s internal and external features prevents me from ascertaining the precise cause of death. All indications though, would suggest that it has been preserved.â€

â€œMaybe itâ€™s part of their burial procedure. You know, like being embalmed?â€

â€œNo,â€ replied Tâ€™Pol. â€œThis is more like all the fluids have been bled out. Almost like itâ€™s been cured,â€ she said, as she stood up and put away her scanner. â€œUntil further examinations and specific scans can be carried out aboard Enterprise, it would be unwise to continue â€˜guessingâ€™. I suggest we return to the previous room with the communications equipment. If you can get the recording device to work, we may find some of the answers.â€

Trip nodded his agreement to this. â€œDo ya still think it some kind of hive?â€ he asked, as they returned to the other room.

â€œAs I stated previously, I can only haphazard a guess at this present time as to its precise nature.â€

â€œSo guess,â€ replied Trip, sounding a bit agitated. â€œI wonâ€™t hold it against ya.â€

â€œI think it is an insect cocoon,â€ she replied, undeterred by their find. â€œPossible a spiderâ€™s nest.â€

Tripâ€™s eyes grew large in fear. â€œSpiders â€¦Why the god damn hell does it have to be spidersâ€¦?â€ he thought, almost trembling in fear.

\--------------------------------

It had been an hour since their return from their strange finds in the previous cavern and Trip had been hard at work examining the machinery. He was glad of the distraction. Anything to get his mind off the idea of huge man-eating spiders prowling around in the shadows, waiting to pounce on their new prey.

â€œHave you had any luck?â€ asked Tâ€™Pol, looking at pieces of disassembled equipment from the radio, scattered all over a table.

â€œIâ€™m not getting any reception. I think the receiver could be smashed.â€

â€œWhat about transmissions? Can you send a message?â€ asked Tâ€™Pol.

â€œMaybe â€¦ we could give it a try. The power cell looks a bit worn out though, so I donâ€™t know how long itâ€™ll last,â€ explained Trip.

â€œWhat about the other piece of equipment?â€ asked Tâ€™Pol. â€œYou indicated previously that you thought it might be some kind of power cell â€¦ maybe?â€

Trip shook his head and smiled. â€œIt is kinda like a power cell, but not nearly as advanced. I think its some kind of generator that powers the overhead lights but it needs some kind of liquid fuel to make it work. The tank underneath it appears about a quarter full, so I donâ€™t think there will be much problem getting that to work. The problem is how long it will last â€¦ I donâ€™t think thereâ€™s enough in there to last more than a few hours â€¦â€

â€œWhat about the recording device?â€ asked Tâ€™Pol?

â€œSame thing as the radio,â€ he sighed. â€œI think I can possible get round that problem by using the power cells from ma communicator and scanner, but it might take some time adapting our technology to theirs. Iâ€™ve then got to hook up the UT so we can translate whateverâ€™s on there ...â€

â€œProceed,â€ ordered Tâ€™Pol. â€œI suggest you begin with the recording device first. Then, if you fail in your endeavour, we will still have the radio for emergency use.â€

â€œThere are no guarantees that that this is even gonna work â€¦â€

â€œWe are left with little option,â€ replied Tâ€™Pol. â€œWe need to find out what happened here and whether it still presents a danger. If that is indeed the case, we will need to contact Enterprise and inform them of our â€˜situationâ€™.â€

Trip nodded his agreement and returned to work.

â€œDo you require my assistance?â€

He didnâ€™t really, but he sensed a â€˜needâ€™ in her, that she required the preoccupation just as much as he did. â€œThanks.â€

\-----------------------------


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Six

A few hours later, with his scanner in pieces, Trip was pretty sure that they had done enough to get the device working. â€œThat should do it,â€ he said, connecting the last two wires together, which produced a fuzzy image to be displayed onscreen and the sound of an unintelligible voice. â€œIf youâ€™ll turn on the UT, hopefully weâ€™ll be able to understand what heâ€™s saying and find out what happened.â€

Tâ€™Pol started pressing some buttons on her communicator. At first nothing seemed to happen, but after a few minutes bits of words began to make sense until a clear and concise male voice started talking â€¦

_"We were unsuspecting at first, but too many people went missing during the first four nights for us not to suspect that something was wrong. We decided to search the back caverns after Carmella and Pinza disappeared._

_We found them about half a mile away hidden deep within the cave structure enclosed within a woven cocoon. They were still alive, barely. Both of them seemed to be enveloped by a swarm of green fluorescent insects, which seemed to thrive within the dark, damp environment of these caverns, intent on drinking their very essence. Corvine attempted a rescue but he was enveloped within seconds. Iâ€™m sorry to say 1 ran for my life._

_We bravely came to this new world to study its ecosystem for a new energy source. Little did we know that hidden deep within, was an army ready to fight back. Itâ€™s ironic that the very quest for our survival, ultimately leads us to our destruction._

_Weâ€™ve sent off a distress signal for an instant retrieval. We can only pray that a rescue will reach us in time. Until then the light is our only salvationâ€¦"_

Both Trip and Tâ€™Pol were silent as the message faded and the screen turned to black. The atmosphere was tense as the impact of how bleak their current situation looked, began to sink in.

â€œWhat â€¦ what do ya think he meant by â€˜hidden deep within was an army ready to fight backâ€™â€ asked Trip, trying not to let the panic he was feeling right now, creep through.

â€œI think he was referring to the treesâ€ she mused, remembering something they had seen earlier.

â€œTrees?â€ queried Trip, slightly confused by her line of reasoning.

â€œDo you remember the broken trunk we found earlier, not far from the settlement, which contained the greenish tinged ring?â€ she asked, walking over to her case to retrieve the core sample she had previously taken.

â€œYeahâ€¦â€ replied Trip, still not following.

â€œI am beginning to suspect I may know what has caused it.â€

Trip waited while Tâ€™Pol took out a small device from her case and inserted the disc. She then began to take readings on her scanner.

After a few minutes, she looked up. â€œAs I suspected, this ring has a tiny microscopic creature living inside it.â€

â€œYou mean a parasite?â€ asked Trip, peering over to take a closer look. â€œBut that doesnâ€™t make sense. From what I remember from high school biology, parasites usually attack a tree in a variety of ways but they always attack the living parts. The leaves, the roots, the new growth rings.â€

â€œThey donâ€™t seem to be attacking the tree,â€ answered Tâ€™Pol. â€œThey seem to be feeding off it, hatching out of the porous wood.â€

â€œI donâ€™t see how they can be feeding,â€ replied Trip. â€œA treeâ€™s inner ring is essentially dead wood.â€

â€œMaybe the trees on this planet are different, Commander. As I stated earlier, it is unwise to compare this world with your own as there are significant differences.â€

â€œSo, what are ya saying? That these tiny bugs are the same things as them â€¦ in there?â€ asked Trip, pointing in the opposite direction to where they previously saw the cocoon.

â€œI think the insects, which are present in the caverns previously lived within these trees, symbiotically,â€ suggested Tâ€™Pol. â€œOnce the colonists began encroaching upon their territory, they sought out another environment. These caverns offer a similar habitat. They are self contained, have an underground water source, they offer a dark and damp atmosphere, and with the colonists building a home here, they offered a fresh food source where they could propagate successfully.â€

â€œGreat â€¦just greatâ€¦life sucking alien bugs,â€ muttered Trip anxiously pacing up and down. â€œI landed on the set of a god damn Boris Karloff horror movie â€¦â€

â€œHave you not stated in the past that watching horror films was one of your favourite pastimes?â€ asked Tâ€™Pol, in a dry teasing fashion, hoping to lighten the atmosphere in an attempt to calm her distressed colleague.

â€œ _Watching_ is the appropriate word there, Sub Commander,â€ replied Trip. â€œI never said anything about participating in oneâ€¦â€

Returning to the table, Trip hastily picked up the various pieces of the disassembled radio.

â€œCommander â€¦ what are you doing?â€

â€œIâ€™m getting this radio fixed so we can call Enterprise and get off this rock,â€ answered Trip, hurriedly putting the pieces together.

â€œI thought you were unsure that using the power cell from our communicator would work?â€

â€œNever underestimate the motivating power of not wanting to be a food source for a life sucking alien bug.â€

â€œPanicking will not help you in your endeavour,â€ said Tâ€™Pol, resting her hand on his arm as he rushed to put the equipment back together.

â€œWhoâ€™s panicking!!?â€

She threw him a look, which stopped him in his tracks.

â€œMaybe youâ€™re right,â€ he replied, taking a deep breath in the hope of calming himself down. â€œWhy donâ€™t ya give me a hand? I think Iâ€™m gonna need itâ€¦â€

\-------------------------------------


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Seven

It was quite late by the time Trip had reassembled the radio back in to some semblance of working fashion. He had connected the other power cell from his communicator to the device in order to boost their transmission power over the stormâ€™s interference, and increase their chances of getting their message through to Enterprise. Since they had no way of knowing if a message had got through with the receiver being well and truly fried, with dusk setting in, he was taking no chances. He activated the generator, while Tâ€™Pol switched on the transceiver.

â€œSub Commander Tâ€™Pol to Enterprise â€¦ we have a possible quarantine situation and require immediate assistance.â€

She repeated this message several times and then turned it off, to Tripâ€™s surprise. â€œWe need to conserve as much power as possible for the generator to last through the night,â€ she explained, to his questioning look.

â€œI suppose ya right,â€ he said, joining her at the nearby table. â€œSo what do we do now?â€

â€œWe waitâ€¦â€ she replied, before sitting down in a meditative pose.

\-------------------------------------------

Patience wasnâ€™t one of Tripâ€™s virtues. He was a hands-on type of guy who always kept himself active and busy. More especially at times like this when he was on edge, with his emotions close to the surface. Sitting around waiting like this just made him think â€¦ think about those man-eating insects and what they did to the previous colony here â€¦ think about the small amount of light the generator was giving out and how it couldnâ€™t possibly keep them at bay or last through the night â€¦ think about how he could hear the swarm building up right now, gearing up to flock towards them, ready to pounce en mass on to their two unsuspecting new prey â€¦

â€œI can see them,â€ Trip whispered, in a scared tone as his threatened emotions finally spilled over. â€œTâ€™Pol â€¦ look,â€ he said, pointing over to the corner of the room where tiny green glowing insects were crawling out of the brickwork and slowly spreading around the dark edges of the room. â€œLook theyâ€™re coming through the wall down where itâ€™s dark.â€

Tâ€™Pol glanced over to where Trip was pointing, but her calm demeanour didnâ€™t show any sign that she was perturbed by their appearance. Trip, on the other hand, jumped up in panic as his fear took hold, overwhelming all rational thoughts.

â€œOh my godâ€¦ theyâ€™re on me. Getâ€™m off ... Getâ€™m off ...â€ he yelled, jumping around, brushing off the hoard of imaginary insects his irrational fear had projected on him.

â€œCommander!â€

â€œGetâ€™m off me â€¦â€

â€œCommander â€¦ Stop it â€¦!â€ she loudly exclaimed, gripping his hands to stem his rising fear.

â€œCan you see them? Theyâ€™re on me â€¦â€

â€œThey are not on you â€¦â€ she said, gripping him harder. Her firm grasp and composed poise slowly began to seep through her touch to bringing him back to reality. His fast grasping breaths began to settle back down into a normal breathing rhythm as his irrational thoughts slowly began to subside. â€œYour fears are beginning to overwhelm your emotions. You have to focusâ€¦â€ She pulled him down to a meditating position, all the while holding him firmly and speaking in a soothing voice. His frantic, agitated state slowly focused on her until she became the sole being in his whole existence. â€œClose your eyes â€¦ imagine yourself on a calm ocean â€¦â€

After a few minutes, â€œThanks,â€ he said. â€œSorry I lost it back there â€¦â€

â€œHow are you feeling?â€ asked Tâ€™Pol, still holding on to him tightly.

â€œIâ€™m good â€¦ Iâ€™m okay â€¦â€ he replied, looking a lot calmer, whilst retaining a slight tremor of fear in his voice.

â€œWe are safe while we remain in the light,â€ she explained. â€œThe insects are not encroaching beyond the extent of the boundary.â€

â€œThatâ€™s â€¦ thatâ€™s good â€¦ thatâ€™s good ta know,â€ exclaimed Trip, taking deep breath while he focused himself on Tâ€™Pol.

â€œI think the light keeps them from swarming,â€ she carried on. â€œJust like fireflies, which you have on Earth. The green luminosity that you can see projecting from them comes from oxidizing enzymes. I think this is why they cocoon their prey. So they can oxidize the proteins taken from fluid in the body â€¦â€

â€œTâ€™Pol,â€ exclaimed Trip, shaking his head to indicate for her to stop. â€œNot that I donâ€™t appreciate what ya doing, but â€¦ can ya not go there â€¦?â€

â€œI apologise.â€

â€œDo ya think, maybe, Enterprise heard our transmissions?â€

â€œI am certain Captain Archer will endeavour to undertake a rescue at the earliest convenienceâ€¦â€ she replied, failing to answer his question, but not wanting to come across as too negative to prevent his fears from escalating once again.

â€œWe sent that call hours ago â€¦ Help would have been here by now â€¦â€

â€œWhile the storm intensity has lessened, it is still too dangerous to attempt a landing. Try to remain calm and focused.â€

â€œWhat if the generator fails,â€ asked Trip, his anxiety rising again. â€œWhat then, are they gonna swarm in here and drain the life out of us?â€

â€œTrip!â€ she exclaimed, drawing his full attention once more. â€œClose your eyes. Think of the boat â€¦ the ocean,â€ she said, holding onto one of his hands, as she began pressing her fingers into the middle of his palm, performing a Vulcan relaxation ritual. â€œYou are sitting in that boat. There is a gentle breeze blowing causing slight ripples on the water. As the sun sets, the orange glow stretches across the horizonâ€¦â€

His breathing slowed down once more, as he began to lose himself in her vision â€¦

Overhead, the light flickered as the generatorâ€™s steady hum started to stutter as it reached the last remnants of fuel towards the bottom of the tankâ€¦

\------------------------------------------------


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Eight.

The tree tops bristled in the breeze as Shuttlepods One and Two eased down for a smooth landing. The wind had eased off enough to a point where a rescue was now possible, so Captain Archer hadnâ€™t hesitated. Heâ€™d had teams on standby for the previous three hours after they had received a garbled transmission from Tâ€™Pol about an emergency situation.

His first thought had been to grab a shuttle right there and then and go down and help his friend, but he was a starship captain and he had to put his crewâ€™s safety first. The wind strength was just too dangerous to attempt a landing, so he had to play the waiting game.

Those three hours had been the longest wait in his whole life â€¦ hours where questions played over and over inside his head â€¦ had he done the right thing going down to the planet in the first place â€¦ maybe with more caution they would have detected the trouble his friend and first officer now faced â€¦ if he had tried a different vector, or even tried harder, their previous landing attempt might have been more successful â€¦ hell, if heâ€™d been a better friend or better captain, his first officer and best friend wouldnâ€™t be in this situation right nowâ€¦

When Lieutenant Reed had come to inform him that the storm had died down sufficiently to leave, heâ€™d practically run out of his ready room towards the Shuttlebay. Phlox wouldnâ€™t let them leave though, until they had all put on flight suits for protection. Tâ€™Pol had warned them of a possible quarantine, so it was essention that precautions be taken to prevent any contamination being spread back to Enterprise. Archer had argued that this would only waste precious time. Time which was now of an essence if they were to save Trip and Tâ€™Polâ€™s lives. Phlox was adamant though. He wasnâ€™t prepared to take any chances. â€œOr would you rather rush foolishly into a rescue and put both of their lives in jeopardy once more, by bringing back aboard Enterprise a dangerous contamination that could affect the whole crew?â€ he asked, in a tone that said he wouldnâ€™t be moved on this issue.

Ten minutes later, both pods lifted out of Enterpriseâ€™s shuttlebay and glided down to the planet towards Trip and Tâ€™Polâ€™s earlier coordinates.

â€œPlease let them be okayâ€¦â€

\----------------------------------------------------------------

Daylight was just breaking as Captain Archer, Lieutenant Reed and Phlox stepped out of the two pods along with four other medical and security personnel. â€œIâ€™m reading biosigns in that direction ...â€ said Phlox to Archer and Reed, indicating with his medical scanner.

â€œTrip and Tâ€™Pol?â€ asked Archer.

â€œI think so,â€ replied Phlox. â€œTheir readings are very faint though.â€

â€œBe on your guard,â€ said Reed to his security detail, as they followed Archer and Phlox, who hurriedly began their trek up towards the settlement. â€œWe donâ€™t know what type of danger Commander Tucker or Sub Commander Tâ€™Pol encountered, or if itâ€™s still present.â€

\--------------------------------

The appearance of the settlement built into the hillside would usually have earned close study, but Archer spared it just a passing glance as he sped to aid his friend.

â€œCaptain!â€ exclaimed Reed, as Archer and Phlox tried to go through a doorway. â€œIf you donâ€™t mind,â€ he said, motioning for himself and his security detail to go in first with their weapons drawn.

Reluctantly, Archer agreed. He could understand where Lieutenant Reed was coming from with his cautious approach. Tâ€™Pol had indicated they were in danger. They had no way of knowing what that danger was or if it was still present, so Reed was only being an excellent security officer by doing his job properly. At times like this though, when Archer knew his friend was in trouble and needed his help quickly, it was frustrating. He just wanted to throw caution to the wind and rush straight in.

Armed with a torch in one hand and a phase pistol in the other, Malcolm and his security detail slowly entered the dark interior. â€œLooks like there was some kind of barricade,â€ he stated, kicking away some broken pieces of wood that had been blocking the entrance.

â€œFor keeping something out?â€ asked Archer, wondering if Trip had put this here to shield them from a predator?

â€œMore like the weather,â€ replied Lieutenant Reed, glancing quickly at the debris before walking further inside. As they shone their torches around, the beam picked up an eerie sight, which drew questioning looks to their faces. The whole room looked like one giant web. Strands of silk were intermingled together from every crevice to look like giant ribbons bound together, to form huge hanging curtains that swathed every object in the room. As the beam of light touched these silky wraps, tiny luminescent green insects quickly withdrew to the blackness beyond.

â€œAre you sure theyâ€™re in here,â€ asked Archer, a hint of concern showing in his voice. Knowing Trip as well as he did, this would be the last place he would take shelter in.

â€œOur scanners indicate that theyâ€™re inside this building,â€ replied Phlox, as he walked up to a large object swaddled tightly together. Kneeling down further for a closer inspection, his face recoiled in horror as he realised finally what was inside. â€œGet the containment pods,â€ he called anxiously to his personnel as he began peeling away the woven shrouds to reveal their two missing officers. Trip was curled up in a foetal position, while Tâ€™Pol lay beside him in a protective stance, as if she was trying to ward off their attackers.

â€œOh my god!â€ exclaimed Captain Archer in horror, instantly darting forward to reach out for his friend.

â€œCaptain â€¦ please â€¦ let us do our jobs,â€ replied Phlox in an urgent tone, stopping him from coming any closer, while Lieutenant Reed and his men cut them out with their phasers.

Within a few minutes they were free. Carefully, Lieutenant Reed and the others gently lifted them up and enclosed them within two containment pods, which they then picked up and carried back to the shuttlepods.

Captain Archer seemed to be frozen to the spot in shock while all of this was being carried out. As Lieutenant Reed and the others carried both of the pods out of the building, Phlox gently shook Archer out of his trance. â€œCaptain â€¦ we have to hurry.â€

The urgency of the situation finally struck him as he suddenly drew back into reality. Nodding his head to show that he was okay with this, they both quickly turned around and ran back to the shuttlecraft with the others.

\-----------------------------------------------------


	10. Chapter 10

Epilogue

Two days after their rescue mission, Captain Archer finally walked down to sickbay to see his friend and fellow officer. Up till now, Phlox had had them both in quarantine in decon to make sure none of the insects were still on them. It had been touch and go at one point on whether he was able to stabilise their condition. Both of them were extremely dehydrated from fluid loss that had been drained out of them, and he wasnâ€™t sure whether there was any internal lung damage due to insect inhalation.

As Captain Archer walked through the doors, both Trip and Tâ€™Pol were on bio beds in the far corner. Tâ€™Pol was sitting up awake but Trip was still lying down unconscious, enclosed within a plastic screen. Both of them had oxygen tubes up their noses and a drip in their arms giving their bodies much needed fluids. They were still pale and drained, but they were both looking a lot healthier than the last time he had seen them down on the planet.

â€œHow are you feeling?â€ asked Archer, as he came towards Tâ€™Polâ€™s bed.

â€œBetter,â€ she replied. â€œThank you for asking.â€

â€œHow did the tests come back,â€ Archer asked Phlox, when he walked over to them.

â€œThe damage to their respiratory tracks isnâ€™t as bad as I originally fearedâ€ replied Phlox, as Archer breathed a huge sigh of relief. Turning back to Tâ€™Pol, he said, â€œI was concerned about damage to your lungs due to the large amounts of insects you both inhaled. They left large concentrations of a chemical within your respiratory tracks, known as luciferase.â€

â€œWhat is that?â€ asked Archer.

â€œItâ€™s a type of enzyme, which you often find in fireflies and other bioluminescent insects. They inject their prey with this to immobilize them before they go on to feed. Our entomologists are still examining the data to determine the specific type of insects you encountered. Theyâ€™ve found quite a few similarities to those found back on Earth.â€

â€œI donâ€™t recall fireflies on Earth having a carnivorous nature,â€ cringed Archer.

â€œObviously thatâ€™s where the similarities stop,â€ replied Phlox. â€œFireflies are predatory by nature, although normally with prey a lot smaller than humans. Usually other small insects, slugs, snails, earthwormsâ€¦â€

â€œHowâ€™s Trip doing?â€ asked Archer, changing this uncomfortable subject, while anxiously looking over at the bed next to them where he lay.

â€œHeâ€™s not quite stable yet, but heâ€™s doing better,â€ answered Phlox, checking the monitors over his bed. â€œHe should be fine in another day,â€ he said in a reassuring voice, hoping to ease Archerâ€™s concern. He knew how close the two were and wanted to ease his worries. â€œIâ€™m just giving him some additional oxygen to aid his breathing and additional fluids to replenish those he lost. Two or three more hours of exposure and he might not have made it.â€

â€œTâ€™pol, Iâ€™m sorry,â€ said Archer, looking at her in a remorseful way.

â€œFor what?â€ she replied, unsure why she needed his apology.

â€œI should have listened to you â€¦ sent down probes to gather more data before sending down a landing party â€¦â€

â€œI agree that you should have been more cautious in your approach,â€ interrupted Tâ€™Pol, â€œbut I fail to see how you could be in any way responsible for our situation.â€

â€œI nearly got you both killed â€¦â€

â€œThe insects were responsible for nearly getting us killed,â€ replied Tâ€™Pol. â€œWhen I first scanned the planet, I detected signs of a diverse ecology. More detailed scans would have divulged the different types of life indicative to this world, but not their nature. While the situation we found ourselves in was unfortunate â€¦ it was also, unavoidableâ€¦â€

Archer nodded. He appreciated what she was trying to do, but looking over at Trip lying there â€¦ so still and pale, he still felt a pang of guilt at what they had both just experienced.

â€œThanks â€¦ for looking after him,â€ said Archer. â€œIâ€™ve known Trip for nearly ten years. Heâ€™s the toughest thing going â€¦ but â€¦ bugs, heâ€™s scared to death of them â€¦ I canâ€™t image what it must have been like for him â€¦â€

â€œUnder the circumstances, Commander Tucker handled himself quite well â€¦â€

â€œBe sure to let him know that,â€ replied Archer.

â€œI will endeavour to remind him during our next meditation session,â€ replied Tâ€™Pol.

â€œTrip â€¦ meditating?â€ laughed Archer. Then as she just looked at him in a way to show that she was serious on the matter, he began to think â€¦ _â€œJust what the hell went on down there between those two.â€_ â€œWell they say an experience like that can change peopleâ€¦â€

â€œIndeed, Captain â€¦â€

\----------------------------

A/N If you would like additional scenes to this story - a continuation of how they both cope afterwards, let me know.


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